Thrush is a moist exudative dermatitis that specifically involves the areas around the frog on the sole and heel surface of a horse's hoof. White Line Disease is a breakdown of the integrity of the white line area on a horse's hoof. Thrush and White Line Disease are caused by bacteria and/or fungal development in the affected areas.
Treatment of Thrush and White Line Disease involves keeping the foot dry, cleaning of any discharge or debris from the affected area, and the administration of an appropriate antiseptic or astringent.
Current therapies for Thrush and White Line Disease are aimed at treating the condition with antibacterial/antifungal agents. In the case of Thrush, the products currently available are present in liquid form. The products are generally dark blue to purple in color which stains skin, clothing, and cement. Since the products are not self retaining, the foot has to be held up until the product dries, a process which takes several minutes. Current treatments for White Line Disease also exist in a liquid form.
In order to place enough of the current products into the hoof to treat the entire affected area, leakage and dribbling will occur without fail. In some cases, the leakage out of the hoof stains the caregiver's skin and clothes and the horse's hoof. Even with a product which stains, current products must stay in contact with the affected areas long enough to be effective. Therefore, most of the products are not only messy but have to be applied for 10-14 days to be effective.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method to effectively administer a medicinal solution for treatment of Thrush and White Line Disease without the accompanying drawbacks previously described.